Our Indian population have been drooping by the outcomes of a generous decision for health change that was made by our government in curbing this horrifying Covid-19. On March 24th 2020, our country witnessed its nationwide lockdown with great pride. There were extravagant speeches of gratitude towards the higher authorities in moulding public health through alternative healing strategies of social distancing. Urban cultures were hooting with relief and appreciating this marvellous decision of diminishing the expansion of this contagious monstrous virus. In the process of celebration through our tall skyscrapers while sipping our hot blended coffees we forgot those from the unorganized sectors.
We negated the turmoil’s, aspirations, existence of those who contributed to our magnetic lifestyles. They were our migrant workers who guided us as house helps, sanitation employers, gate keepers and in many more services to uplift our livelihood. They have been given a fancy term labelled as ‘expatriates’ who reside in a foreign culture and adapt to its modifications. Its because of these individuals we take our calm breaths and relish our success and try to drive away our failures.
But this lockdown has given us an amazing observation through their journey of societal loss and trauma. In this century of ignorance and self-centered vision, very few look back and reflect in bringing a change towards the society. This reflection was done by an organization called Sarvahitey- an NGO based in Delhi that unconditionally delivered to the best of their capacities this lockdown.
There were criticisms by the general public in putting down the working of governmental sectors and other legal systems. Many were debating about the so-called broken economy and watched this societal destruction of humanity with ease. Members of Sarvahitey were the ones who walked ahead, wore their risky shoes and covered their faces with the masks of freedom and selflessness. They started rendering their practices this lockdown by creating awareness of humanity and brotherhood towards those who had lost their jobs and were striving to survive this period of isolation. People working in areas of domestic help, rag-pickers and garbage collectors were guided and funds were raised for slum dwellers. At this time of unpreparedness, Sarvahitey has been detrimental in implementation of hyper-local information, ration and blood donation requests, feeding stray animals, preventing the expansion of fake news and creating pathways for migrants in reaching their destinations with utmost trust.
We all collectively have gone through this massive psychological state that gave us uncertainty, baffled our state of mind, stopped our freedom to think and gifted us with crisis of food and mental health. People belonging to both urban and rural masses went through this together and this journey still continues. Amidst all these upheavals only few stood like a rock and let the negative vibes pass through them as they shared the trauma of the society. These contributions were made by the members of Sarvahitey, who gave up on their sleep and worked tirelessly towards the release of essentials and other health related services to all developmental age groups that involved children, adolescents, adults and those from the geriatric population. They catered to the marginalized sections and were able to bring back the trust of our own people.
In my experience, as an educator, counselor and a community therapist I have witnessed the verbal outrage of my student population who belonged to this race of migrants. Psychological needs are mostly unspoken from these population due to the taboo as its assumed that only the urban class can witness mental health issues. There were helpless calls from those who couldn’t reach out to their homes, some were stranded here, others walked bare foot and demarcated their pathways of life.
Many of my students were going through psychological breakdown and lost their family members due to hunger and scarcity. It’s then I came across this organization, Sarvahitey, and I requested our dynamic youth to participate in their forum and guide those who are in need by strengthening their mental state. They got selected in the team as volunteers and through their work there was a drastic change in their community initiatives. This forum crafted their decision-making skills and groomed their problem-solving abilities. I directed them to do an assignment of staying in a migrant classmate’s space and relive the same experience and share each other’s cultural practices. With a heavy heart they educated themselves about the harsh realities of our society and in the process joined Sarvahitey. Since then there have been no looking back as this organization developed their holistic outlook towards their community and promoted the art of experiential learning.
My encounter with the organization and its members has been like a motivational skywalk. Unknowingly they have mentored our learners who are the future leaders of tomorrow. I have learnt that in our journey of life most would pass by, few would stop and give us their hand to hold and when we give our hands to them, they will also take our dreams. They take each step with us to fulfill those unattended desires and provide us stairs in reaching those milestones that we have never seen. We relate to them and imitate their footsteps as we remember in this life about some people who brought us out from our difficult situations and they are our rescuers during this lockdown majestically called as Sarvahitey. I extend my gratitude to the eminent people known as Prem Prakash for his fearless outlook and passion, Keshav Datta for his continuous guidance and Prerna Sharma for her humility and simplicity in reaching out to those who are unheard. Truly your team are our Unsung Heroes and it will be strengthened it its own power and liberty.
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